Thomas spencer



(No Model.)

T. SPENCER. COVERED DISH.

Patented 'Apr N. FEYERS Plwlwljlmgnphor. Waingwn. D. C.

l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS SPENCER, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE MERIDEN BRITANNIA COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COVERED DISH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,281, dated April 3, 1883.

Application tiled February E26, 1883. (No model.) l

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS SPENCER, of Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Im provement in Covered Dishes; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsaud the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,

1o and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent. iu-

Figure l, a front view; Fig. 2, a side view; Fig. 3, a vertical section, showing the locking mechanism enlarged.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class ot' articles for table, toilet, and other service, which consist of a dish or body and a cover arranged in a frame, so that the cover is raised from the body and guided in its 2o movement, the more general use for these articles vbeing for butter-dishes, but applicable to other covered dishes for table service, or for jewel-eases and other articles of the toilet-table; and the invention consists in the arrangement ofthe body of the dish and the cover on suitable vertical guides, with a counection between the two, whereby, whenthe two are permittcd,they will separate, the cover rising and the dish falling on their respective 3o guides, and so that by the downward moveerable are connected by a bar, C, across the top.

D is the body ofthe dish, and E, the cover, may be of any desirable shape or design, according to the use for which the dish is to be employed, that shown in the illustration being for a. butter-dish, and as such I shall describe 4 5 it. On each side the bodyD is a sleeve, a, ar-

ranged so as to move freely upon the vertical uprights B as guides. The cover on each side is provided with a similar sleeve, b, arranged on the same uprights and so as to slide verti- 5o cally thereon. The two slides a b are connected by mechanism known as 1azy-tongs,con sisting of a series of levers hinged together and to the sleeves, as seen in Fig. 2, the central levers of the lazy-tongs heilig pivoted to the uprights, as atf, and whereby an up-anddown movement imparted to one sleeve will imparta corresponding movement to the other sleeve in the opposite direction. Supposing the parts to stand in their closed condition, as seen in Figs. l and 2, if the cover be raised, the body will descend to the same extent, as indicated in broken lines, and thereby open the dish, the two parts moving on their respective guides from each other in opening. Then, ifthe cover be forced down, the body will, because of the lazy-tongs connection, be correi spondingly raised until the two parts come together, and when they are so brought together a latching mechanism is provided, which will engage one part and hold them in their closed condition. That latching mechanism, as here represented, consists et the spring latch e, hung in one of the uprights, and so as to eugage the lower sleeve, a', as seen in Fig. 3, where the parts are enlarged for convenience of illustration; but it will be understood that any suitable latching mechanism may be employed to secure the parts in their closed condition. Wvhen standing in their closedcoudition and thus latched, if the latch be disengaged,as by pressing in the thumb-piece, then the weight ofthe dish D will cause it to descend, and because-ot' its connection with the cover will cause the cover to rise, as indicated in broken lines.

Iarrange the connecting mechanism between the two parts preferably on both sides; but one side may, in many cases, answer the purpose. I also show the cover as having a sleeve at each sideto run on the same uprights as the sleeves of the cover; but, instead of this side guiding of the cover, it may be by a central rod from the top downward through the cover. In that case the sleeves at the sides of the cover may be dispensed with, and the mechanism, instead of being connected to the sleeve, as shown, would be connected directly to the cover, and, it' preferred, this mechanism may be connected to the body of the dish instead of to the sleeve, and accomplish the same result. 10o

I prefer, however, that the sleeves or slides which guide the two parts should be at each side and upon the vertical guides.

I claim- 1. The combination ot' the body D and the cover E,eacl1 arranged 'for vertical movement on suitable guides, with mechanism, substantially such as described, connecting the said two parts, whereby an up or down movement imparted to the one part will give a corresponding reverse movement to the other part, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the body D and cover E, arranged on suitable guides for vertical movcmen t, with mechanism, substantially such as described, between them, whereby an up or down movement imparted to the one part will give to the other a corresponding movement inthe opposite direction, with a locking device to hold the parts in their closed position, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the base carrying the uprights B B, the body D, supported by the slides a upon said uprghts, the cover E, supported on the same uprights by the guides I), with lazy-tongs connection between the body and cover, said lazy-ton gs hung to the upright, and wherebyan up or down movement imparted to the one part will impart to the other a corresponding movement in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

4. 'lhe combination of the base carrying the uprights B B, the body D, supported by the slides a upon said uprights, the cover E, supported on the same uprights by the guides b, with lazy-tongs connection between the body and cover, said lazy-tongs hung to the upright, and whereby an up or down movementimparted to the one part will impart to the other a 'corresponding movement in the opposite direction, with a locking mechanism to secure the parts in their closed position, substantially as described.

THOMAS SPENCER.

XVitnesses Jos. C. EARLE, J. H. SHUMWAY. 

